I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
The secrets to a great Thanksgiving dinner? Well it may not be as simple as a 1, 2 and 3, but I like to think you’ll be in a great spot if you: plan for a great menu (with cocktails flowing), set up some festive decor and set aside time, above all, to give thanks.
We recently shared our clickable Field Guide to the Thanksgiving Season, a great place to start as you’re planning your own gathering for Turkey Day. One of the biggest takeaways I gained from working on the guide: set the table the day before! And of course, a proper feast is a must. Click through the slideshow above to read more tips for the best Thanksgiving dinner. Cheers, Kat
SHOP THE STORY / CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE
SET THE TABLE THE DAY BEFORE
IF I LEARNED ANYTHING FROM OUR FAVORITE TASTEMAKERS IN OUR THANKSGIVING FIELD GUIDE, IT'S THAT SETTING THE TABLE THE DAY BEFORE IS KEY TO A LESS STRESSFUL THANKSGIVING DAY.
TASTY SIPS ARE ALWAYS A GREAT TOUCH, SO CONSIDER MIXING UP A SEASONAL SIGNATURE COCKTAIL FOR THE EVENING. (IT HELPS CONVERSATION AROUND THE TABLE, TOO!)
FIND ALL THE RECIPES (AND TIPS AND ESSENTIALS TO GET THE JOB DONE) THAT YOU'LL NEED FOR THE PROPER THANKSGIVING FEAST IN OUR FIELD GUIDE...WE'RE TALKING THE MOST DELICIOUS SMOKED TURKEY, TASTY SIDES AND DECADENT HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE. #YUM
NO REASON TO BRING OUT THE SEQUINS; INSTEAD KEEP YOUR LOOK COMFORTABLE YET CHIC WITH A NICE OVERSIZED SWEATER AND TAILORED PANTS. A BRAIDED DUTCH CROWN IS THE PERFECT HAIRSTYLE FOR THE OCCASION.
GATHER WITH YOUR LOVED ONES AND GIVE THANKS FOR ALL OF THE MANY BLESSINGS FROM THE PAST YEAR. START NEW TRADITIONS BY GOING AROUND THE TABLE AND SHARING WHAT EACH PERSON IS THANKFUL FOR.
It’s hard to put into words just how remarkable this Thanksgiving tablescape is. Shot at the dreamlike Serenbe Inn a few years ago, it is abundant with tabletop inspiration for a Thanksgiving gathering, and every detail is truly timeless. The shoot actually took place on a scorching day in July, and anyone that knows heat in the South can appreciate just what that meant for the shoot (melting cakes, anyone?). But miraculously everything turned out even better than we could have imagined, and we find ourselves coming back to this shoot time and time again.
As you search for inspiration for your own Thanksgiving tablescape, consider deep, rich colors and lush textures. (One Kings Lane sells a great variety of fresh and dried garland if you want to tap for a guaranteed show-stopper.) Varied candle heights can give visual interest to the table without restricting views and ultimately, conversation, and stacked plates always elevate the place settings, as I’ve learned. Lastly, thoughtful touches like personalized place cards and “I’m Thankful For” cards encourage guests to talk to one another and open up to reflect during this holiday time.
Take a peek at all of the photos from the entire shoot, shared here, here and here. Cheers, Kat
SHOP THE STORY / CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE
With November basically here I’m officially in full Thanksgiving Dinner prep mode. While I love everything that comes with hosting during the holidays, my favorite part has got to be setting the table for the big dinner itself. And over the years through setting my fair share of tables I’ve learned that no matter what you’re celebrating there’s always a few items that make getting the table holiday ready easier than ever which I thought I’d share with y’all today.
First up, flatware. There’s no better way to dress up a table than with metallic flatware.Gold orrose gold flatware make every dinner party feel a bit more like an occasion, and will be perfect for any and every holiday you celebrate.
A few years ago finding flatware that was any color other than silver was incredibly difficult and often expensive. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case. For example, the rose gold flatwareshown here is only $15 per setting! And this gold set I found is only $65 for an entire24 piece setting complete with a case! They’re even makingdisposable setsin gold that look almost like the real thing.
Another signature holiday table move of mine is switching out the salad plates. Trust me when I say, there’s no one that would rather have enough room to store, or money to spend, on numerous holiday place settings. If storage or money were of no issue I’d have a new place setting each season! So how do I keep things fresh, while not breaking the bank or bursting at the closet-door-seams…I switch out my salad/dessert plates.
I often start my place setting with my classic white dinner plates and then dress the white up with a festive salad or dessert plate like thesegourd plates. This way your table doesn’t feel like an everyday setting, and you’re not worried about how much you spent, or where you’re going to store them next month. And trust me this works for every season; I lovethese ones for Christmas!
A word to the wise, make sure you getround white everyday plates. I made the mistake of registering for oblong ones when we got married which are awkward and don’t work with any other plate in my cupboard.
Lastly, don’t overcrowd the table. Thanksgiving, or any dinner party for that matter, should be focused on spending time with the ones you love. Nothing is worse than having a guest more worried about where they’re going to set a dish or if they’re going to spill that bottle of wine, than conversing with their neighbor. How I handle this dilemma is by utilizing mybar cart.
During dinner parties or holiday celebrations, mybar cart is wheeled over to the table where it plays the integral role of both beverage dispenser and pie cart. By keeping both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic bottles off the table it allows for conversation to flow and the guests who talk with their hands like myself, to joyfully recount stories without worrying of knocking anything over. And I’d much rather have my collection ofStaub Pumpkin baking dishes gracing the table rather than empty bottles of wine. Plus doesn’t thecart make the most perfect setting for all theholiday pies?
And much like the flatware I spoke about earlier, bar carts are extremely reasonably priced now. I likethis one andthis one if you’re looking for your cart to serve in more of this capacity than full-time bar.
So whether it’s your first time hosting, or you’re an old pro, I hope sharing my go-to entertaining tips helped. And most importantly I hope your Thanksgiving is full of what’s truly important: family, friends, great food, and plenty of thankfulness. Truly, MKR
Photography, Rustic White Interiors | This post is in collaboration with eBay, a company I love and adore. All opinions and images are 100% my own.